


Chance Encounter

by smallestsenpai



Category: SPY x FAMILY (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Awkward Tension, Awkwardness, Blame Endo-sensei's Eden Academy!Twiyor drawing for this mess, Comedy, Delinquent Loid(?), Denial of Feelings, Eden Academy (SPY x FAMILY), F/M, Fist Fights, Fluff, High School, Homemade Meals, Model Student Yor, Non-Graphic Violence, Romance, Teen Crush, Teen Romance, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:02:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27491623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallestsenpai/pseuds/smallestsenpai
Summary: Yor Briar was a model student.She minded her business. She kept her head low.Except today.In which Eden Academy's Thorn Princess and Twilight cross paths and nothing more. (Or is it?)
Relationships: Loid Forger | Twilight/Yor Briar Forger | Thorn Princess
Comments: 32
Kudos: 119





	1. Model Student

**Author's Note:**

> I looked at these two awkward adults and said you know what? No. We can make them even /more/ awkward.
> 
> Enjoy!

Yor Briar was a model student.

She worked and studied diligently, her rigorous work ethic reflected in her stellar classroom performance. Well-rounded and well-spoken, she never failed to charm instructors and faculty alike.

However, it was an _entirely_ different story among the student body.

She caught the eye of many a student. It was unavoidable, Yor _was_ beautiful after all, but her apparent aloofness and coldness left many paralyzed both in fear and admiration. Beneath her gentle and poised demeanor lied a blunt personality and sharp tongue that wouldn’t hesitate to speak its mind. Coupled with seemingly inhuman strength that had gotten her informally banned from most athletic activities and clubs, Yor Briar was not a force to be reckoned with.

A lethal beauty hidden underneath a demure demeanor had earned Yor the nickname _Thorn Princess_ among her classmates. She knew the name had probably not been bestowed upon her with the best intentions in mind, but, given how most students usually steered clear of her for fear of provoking her, she accepted the nickname happily. Any acknowledgement of her existence by her peers was a welcome one at this point.

If her physical prowess did not drive others away, it was her status as the daughter of two high-ranking government officials. Heavily involved with the State Security Service, few feared to engage her, worried the slightest slip of their tongue could mean the difference between life and death for their family and their lives as they knew it. In actuality, Yor couldn’t care less; her parents were seldom home, leaving her to look after her younger brother and their home during their extended periods of absence.

Regardless, Yor had learned early on to keep her head down and blend in with her classmates. Eventually they would lower their walls and accept her, her mother would often say, blaming their coldness on the fickle moods of adolescents in the throes of puberty. Puberty or not, Yor simply hoped that doing so would free her from this alienation that had been thrust upon her.

Thus, Yor Briar was a model student. She minded her business. She kept her head low.

Except today.

Yor wasn’t sure what had compelled her to move. She normally avoided inserting herself into problems that did not involve her. For good reason too, nothing good could come out of it after all. Maybe it was because the young child being harassed reminded her so much of her own younger brother. Maybe it was because she felt it was her duty as an upperclassman, even if the child did not belong to her house. Maybe it was simply a severe lapse in judgement. Whatever the reason was, it had driven her to move, and before she knew it she had cleared the courtyard in record time.

“What seems to be the problem?” She asked simply, stopping before the peculiar trio.

She’d already pieced together enough from what she’d overheard on her way over. The young boy’s father was supposedly experiencing financial troubles. The two older students, who (thankfully) didn’t belong to her dormitory, overhearing this information from their parents had taken it upon themselves to corner the young boy and make what was perhaps an already terrible day for him even worse.

The two older students shifted their attention from the young boy to her. They were easily at least a head taller than her. Not that it mattered anyway, since she knew she could easily take them should push come to shove.

“Well ya see,” One started, “my buddy and I heard this lil one’s been having some trouble lately because of his Pa.” He roughly tousled the young boy's hair, eliciting a weak whimper from the child, who tried in vain to separate the older student’s hand from his scalp.

Yor’s fingers twitched absentmindedly, her gaze shifting from one student to another.

“Yeah it’s like my buddy said,” The other chimed in, an equally disgusting smirk painted onto his face, “we just wanted to give him some uh, financial _advice_ , if you will.”

“Financial advice?” Yor repeated. She wasn’t that familiar with finances, but she knew enough to know physical harassment was not synonymous with _advice_ in anyone’s financial lexicon.

“Yeah, financial advice!” He repeated casually, “Since his Pa can’t handle his money, we’ll handle it for him! Oh, but for a _fee_ of course. Gotta make a livin’ somehow, you know?”

“You don’t need to make a living. That’s what your parents do.” She pointed out bluntly. Cut from the upper crusts of society, what living could they possibly make extorting lunch money from an elementary school student that their parents couldn’t already _afford?_

“You’d be surprised, _Thorn Princess_ ,” The boy sneered, stepping closer to her, “not all of us have the luxury of being able to swim in mommy and daddy’s _blood money_.”

The corner of her lips twitched in response, but her gaze did not waver.

Yor briefly contemplated dirtying her hands and making a mess of the duo right then and there. Maybe then she’d be worthy of swimming in her parents’ supposed blood money. Not like she and Yuri saw a cent of it anyway.

Nonetheless, she relented, briefly glancing down at the young boy.

He didn’t need to be exposed to that kind of violence.

“Well,” Yor began simply, turning her attention back to the student standing closest to her, “I’m sorry your parents don’t spoil you enough. If you’re really that desperate for some pocket change though, have you considered earning it as opposed to harassing a child?”

It took a moment for her words to fully process before his face crumpled in anger.

“What did you just say-”

“I said, did you ever consider _earning_ it as opposed to harassing a child?” She repeated calmly, “It’s not a good look to pick on those younger than you, you know?”

“You _little_ -”

“Oi.” A voice called out from behind Yor that had not been there a moment ago, “There a problem?”

Loid Forger was his name. At least, she was pretty sure it was. Many students simply referred to him as _Twilight_. Reserved and aloof, students knew little about him, including his fellow classmates in Malcolm Hall. How a student could be so notorious yet so mysterious was beyond her. His ability to both effortlessly blend in and stand out, one foot in the light and the other in the shadows, was probably what had earned him that nickname in the first place. Although, she was fairly certain that like her, he didn’t necessarily enjoy it either.

She watched him from the corner of her eye as he moved to stand beside her, hands casually tucked into his pockets. He was still well over a head taller than her even when slouching, but his demeanor was far from nonchalant. On the contrary, he more closely resembled a predator, confident enough in its ability it knew displays of superiority were unnecessary, it’s time better spent analyzing the poor soul in front of him.

“Well, we were all doing just fine ‘til Little Miss _Prickly_ decided to butt in.” The one closest to Yor spat, “Really should learn to mind your manners, _Princess_.”

Her fingers twitched again.

“I wouldn’t need to meddle if you had simply learned to pick on someone your own size.” She responded sharply, “Upperclassmen hounding a literal child for pocket change out of boredom doesn’t just reflect poorly on Eden Academy. It’s also, quite frankly, _pathetic_.”

Apparently being confronted with reality was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

Anger flared to life behind the male’s eyes for a brief moment before he lunged towards her. He swung at her, though his form clearly demonstrated he was out of his element. No surprise there, she mused inwardly, these boys were all the same: all bark and no bite.

She sidestepped his fist effortlessly. Taking advantage of his unstable position, she swiftly swiped her foot, colliding with his ankle. He let out a startled yelp, arms flailing in vain as he tried to regain his balance. Seizing the opportunity, she grabbed his arm and dug her knee into the middle of his back, forcing him onto the ground with a muffled thud. He groaned in pain as his head connected with the ground.

Yor dug her knee deeper into his back, her free foot grounded to provide her with added stability. She tightened her grip on his arm, twisting it into an angle that was not humanly possible.

“Don’t touch me.” She stated, ignoring the whimpering coming from beneath her.

“What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?”

She turned her attention towards the remaining male, his expression one of fear and disgust.

“Were you raised by _gorillas_ you crazy bitch?” The guy started, releasing the boy from his grip and starting towards her, “I’m going to fucking _kill_ you-”

Knowing she couldn’t move without risking losing her grip on the male beneath her, Yor braced herself for the worst. Yet, the worst never came. Rather, Yor looked up to find Loid’s fist connecting with the other student’s nose, followed by the characteristic _crack_ that preceded many a broken nose. The student yelled out, clutching his nose and staggering backwards, shoes catching on the curb and knocking him onto his back.

Feeling her gaze on him, Loid looked down. Her characteristically composed expression had yet to leave her face, but Loid could tell it was faltering. She gazed up at him silently, eyes widened ever so slightly. Not in fear, but in quiet admiration, a silent thank you for stepping in though he didn’t need to.

Loid returned his hand to his pocket, offensive stance once again replaced by his previous slouched posture.

“Looks like my hand slipped.”

He would apologize for his behavior, but given how swiftly she had taken down the other student, he had a hunch she probably wouldn’t have minded anyway.

Yor blinked, seemingly recalling the situation they were in. She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted.

“Miss Briar! Mister Forger!”

Oh.

They snapped their heads in unison towards the familiar voice, dread overcoming them. Frozen in fear, the two perpetrators took the opportunity to scramble before it was too late, the one beneath Yor squirming out from underneath her like his life depended on it.

Mr. Henderson briskly walked towards the pair, his normally calm demeanor replaced by a piercing glare.

“Would either of you like to kindly explain what I just witnessed?” He asked simply, gaze shifting between the two of them.

Loid swallowed roughly. He’d already gone and earned himself a Bolt earlier that week for sticking his nose in business that wasn’t his. While he wasn’t in danger of being expelled per se, he certainly couldn’t afford another one. Not so soon at least. Henderson was not his Housemaster, but given his track record he knew he wouldn’t be able to get himself out of this one.

“Apologies, Housemaster.” Yor started, stepping to stand beside Loid, “The two students that ran off just now had been harassing this child for his allowance. Overhearing the commotion, I thought it best to step in to ensure he would be safe in case the other two attempted to further escalate the situation.”

Henderson narrowed his eyes, shifting his gaze towards Loid, “And you?”

“I overheard the commotion as I was leaving the Dining Hall.” He explained simply, “I saw Miss Briar confronting the two older students. It seemed like the duo were going to escalate the situation further before I approached them, so I decided to step in to make sure things didn’t get out of hand. I’m glad I did as well; both students attempted to physically assault Miss Briar.”

Henderson raised an eyebrow, finally turning his attention to the young boy in question.

“Is this true, boy?” He asked.

“Yeah!” He chimed in, jumping up and down in place. “Those bullies wanted to take my money but I said they couldn’t because Pa would be sad, but they wouldn’t listen! But then she came in and was all _Woosh! Swoosh! Bam!_ And he was all _Bang! Pow!_ ” He explained animatedly, making sure to complement his very detailed account of the encounter with equally animated kicks and punches.

He might’ve embellished it a bit though.

“It was so cool!” He beamed, “It was amazing! Spectacular! _Elegant!_ ”

Henderson raised an eyebrow, nodding knowingly.

“Well then,” He clears his throat, turning back towards the pair, “I applaud you two for intervening. Bravery is something that cannot be taught and is seldom learned. I will have a stern discussion with those two hooligans, but please refrain from trying to enact your own form of justice in the future. Understood?”

Loid and Yor silently nod in acknowledgement. They watch as Henderson offers the young boy his hand, escorting him back to his dormitory. The boy turns around momentarily, beaming widely and waving goodbye to his saviors. The duo smiled politely and waved in return, watching as they disappeared behind a corner.

“Well,” Loid begins, startling Yor, “don’t know how you got us out of that one.”

“Mr. Henderson is my Housemaster.” She explains simply, composing herself once more. A favorite among her professors, she’s almost certain they’d sooner resign and retire than give her a Tonitrus Bolt and face the wrath of her parents. Not that it’d bother her; in all honesty, she’d prefer to be treated like a normal student for once in her life than be placed on a pedestal against her will.

“Sounds about right.” Loid muses out loud, turning towards her, “Where’d you learn how to move like that?”

Yor’s eyes widen momentarily, gaze dropping to her feet.

“My father had me take self-defense lessons as a child.” She replied, feeling her ears burn. Her brutish strength had probably disturbed him like it had so many others.

Loid hums in acknowledgement.

“Guess you didn’t need my help then.” He replies nonchalantly, a small smirk forming on his lips.

Yor looks up quickly, eyes practically on the cusp of falling out of her skull.

“W-What? No!” She stammers a little louder than she would’ve preferred, catching the attention of nearby students, “If you hadn’t stepped in I’m sure I would’ve been in trouble. Thank you, really, I owe you one.”

“You don’t, really,” Loid clears his throat, looking away from the girl, feeling a foreign heat spread across his cheeks, “anyone would’ve done what I did. Well, anyone who _isn’t_ self-centered at least, but I guess that’s hard to come by here.”

A soft giggle pulls his attention back to Yor, quietly laughing behind her hand.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What’s so funny?” He asked.

“No, it’s nothing,” She laughed softly, shaking her head before looking up at him, “it's just, that was just very genuine. Hard to come by that here.”

He stares at her, feeling the tips of his ears burn. Yor thinks nothing of his expression, that is, until she also manages to process the words that just came tumbling out of her mouth. An equally fierce blush spreads across her face in response.

The distant toll of a bell frees the pair of the awkward tension that had manifested, marking the end of the school day for Eden Academy.

“So,” Loid starts, “Yor, right?”

“Yes, Loid, right?” She asks in return. He nods.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Yor. I’d stay and chat, but I’m sure you have better things to attend to.” He said simply, noticing the curious stares of other students. The last thing she needed was to get involved with him, and vice versa.

“Are you sure I don’t owe you anything?” She asked, “You were of tremendous help, I’d hate to take advantage of your kindness and not return the favor.”

“Tell you what,” Loid begins, glancing down at her once more, “if you think of a way to repay me, I’ll take you up on it. If not, no hard feelings. How does that sound?”

“Alright, you have a deal then, Loid.” She smiles in response, “See you then.”

Loid bids her goodbye with a wave, gaze lingering on her figure as she recedes into the horizon. He takes a moment to briefly adjust his bag before turning to walk in the opposite direction, an amused huff escaping him.

Even in Malcolm Hall, Yor’s reputation preceded her. The jewel of Cecile Hall, there was no way in _hell_ she would willingly choose to associate with someone like him. Especially not after a first encounter such as this one. Her promise to repay him was simply a formality and nothing more. A sign of respect for her upperclassman, even if he did not belong to her house. At least, that’s how he chose to see it. It was the only way it made any semblance of sense in his mind.

Pushing the thought aside, Loid headed towards Eden Academy’s front gate.

She’d keep her distance if she knew what was good for her.


	2. Homemade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heaven help the fool that falls in love with Yor Briar.
> 
> Heaven help him, and his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter felt a little all over the place but I hope y'all enjoy it anyway! And don't you fret, this won't be the last you see of Eden AU Twilight and Yor; I've got more ideas in mind for these two, braincell permitting :') Enjoy!

Loid Forger was the farthest thing from a model student.

That’s not to say he’s a _bad_ student, however. On the contrary, he runs _circles_ around his peers effortlessly, and his exceptional academic record is a testament to that. Yet, despite his academic prowess, Loid was a menace to classmates and teachers alike. Between his intimidating stature, sharp tongue, and biting personality, few dared to approach him, let alone even _associate_ with him.

Loid didn’t mind it in the slightest. If anything, he was _grateful_ for it. Why would he willingly want to associate with spoiled _brats_ ? Spoiled brats who mocked his father for being a psychiatrist because a physician’s income was not _nearly_ enough to support their lavish, wasteful lifestyles. Spoiled brats who looked down upon others as if they were the mud beneath the soles of their shoes. Spoiled brats who smiled at him pitifully, seeing not a classmate or a friend, but a _pawn_ to be manipulated for their own personal gain.

Predictably, his failure to play by their rules made him stick out like a sore thumb, and in a place like Eden where uniformity was law, the last thing one ever wanted was to stand out. Loid knew that all too well; that sharp tongue of his would be his downfall. It’d already earned him more Tonitrus Bolts than he was comfortable with. It was worth it though; nothing compared to the satisfaction that came from putting these self-centered monsters in their place.

However, graduation was close at hand. Good grades could only do so much against Bolts and professors who wanted nothing more than to see him gone. He needed to restrain himself. He’d come much too far to risk it all now.

Thus, Loid Forger wasn’t a model student, but he’d act the part for now. He’d mind his business. He’d keep his head low.

That’d been the plan, at least.

“Is that Yor Briar?”

“So what if it is? She goes to school here doesn’t she?” Loid grunted absentmindedly, idly pushing his meal around his plate.

The boy seated across from him frowned. “What do you mean ‘so?’ Weren’t you two almost in hot water for breaking a kid’s nose and dislocating another one’s arm a while back?” He huffed.

“That was weeks ago, Frankie.” He replied, eyes still focused on the untouched meal in front of him, “Give it a rest already.”

Though it had already been weeks since their fateful encounter, Loid remembered it vividly. He’d heard countless stories about her inhuman strength, but he’d never actually _believed_ them until that moment. Even though she was two grades below him and nearly a foot shorter than him, he’d made a mental note to never get on her bad side. Not like he’d even have a chance to anyway; outside of lunch, electives, and designated study hall periods, their grades seldom interacted. Combined with the fact they belonged to different houses, the likelihood of running into her was slim to none. Good thing too, the last thing either of them needed was to draw attention to themselves and, given it had been weeks since their encounter and she had yet to approach him, Loid was confident she felt the same.

“Hello.”

Or not.

He hadn’t heard her come up behind him. Quite frankly, he had no _clue_ how she’d managed to sneak up on them like that. He’d felt his soul momentarily leave his body when she finally spoke up, but otherwise remained composed. Frankie, on the other hand, shrieked like a startled animal, drawing the curious gazes of nearby tables.

Loid turned around in one swift motion, resting his back against the table.

“Hello, Yor,” He greeted, “and to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Are you busy?” She asked simply, shifting in place.

He glanced down. She was hiding something behind her back. What it was, he couldn’t tell. He looked over his shoulder at his now probably cold meal and Frankie, busy shoveling pasta into his mouth to avoid insulting the girl with his very presence and invoking her wrath.

“Nope.” He finally decided after a moment, turning back to face her, “Why do you ask?”

“Oh, that’s good.” She smiled, “I was wondering if I could borrow you for lunch.”

Loid blinked.

Come again?

“Are you asking me to eat lunch with you?” He asked.

“Yes, that’s correct.” She replied, head tilted to one side, “Why, is that a problem?”

She’s a stellar student, the _last_ thing she needed was to get mixed up with the wrong crowd and, though he would argue otherwise, Loid _was_ the wrong crowd at Eden Academy. Alienated from their peers for various reasons, he’d assumed she’d figure keeping her distance from him would be the best course of action. He knew from the minute she approached him that she clearly didn’t know what was best for her.

_Now_ , however, he was wondering if she had simply lost her _mind_.

“Well, it _could_ be, but if you insist.” He shrugged, rising from his seat, “I’ll join you.”

She took a step back and looked up at him, offering him a small smile. Peeking behind him, she offered a similar smile to Frankie.

“You don’t mind if I borrow him, right?” Yor asked.

Frankie shook his head quickly, eyes wide with fear but eyebrows furrowed in confusion at this interesting turn of events in their usual lunch time routine.

“Follow me.” She said, swiftly turning on her heel, and shifting the mysterious package so it was held in front of her. Loid glanced back at Frankie, shooting him an equally confused expression before trailing behind her.

If they hadn’t drawn attention to themselves before, they were most certainly doing so now. The two most talked about figures in Eden Academy walked through the Dining Hall, followed by a multitude of curious, confused, and stupefied stares. He briefly wondered what they looked like to the other students. Loid’s gaze shifted from table to table, catching students here and there whispering amongst one another, trying to determine what otherworldly forces could have brought these two together and for what reason. He sighed, mentally throwing his prior plan out the metaphorical window of his mind.

So much for laying low.

He turned his attention to Yor. Unlike his slouched, laid-back posture, she walked with purpose. With a goal in mind. He couldn’t see her face, but he was willing to bet it was drawn in an unreadable expression, the same one that terrified countless students on a daily basis. She carried herself with such authority and poise, he wondered if she walked like that normally or if her parents had instilled it in her. If she was trying to shake that nickname of hers, it wasn’t doing her any favors.

The odd pair walked in silence, making it a point to ignore the sea of eyes following them throughout the hall and out the entrance. He contemplated asking her where she was leading them, but decided against it. He’s not one for surprises usually, but might as well see how this plays out, he reasoned.

Their journey brought them to the rooftop of one of the buildings that housed the higher level students. Unlike the younger students who were predominantly confined to the Dining Hall or their classrooms when it came time for lunch, the older students had the added luxury of being able to eat outside. It wasn’t uncommon to find students littered around the courtyard or under trees during lunch time, enjoying the scenery and weather. Though the rooftops were also open to students during lunch time, few knew they were open to them, and even fewer bothered to make the trek.

“How’d you know about the rooftops?” He asked. He’d expected to see at least one or two of his classmates as many of them elected to sit outside, but it seemed to be just the two of them for the time being.

“I usually eat lunch up here.” She replied casually, “It’s quieter, and I don’t have to deal with people watching me.”

Oh.

“Makes sense.” He nodded, grimacing internally. He knew that feeling all too well, it brought up memories he’d rather not think about. If it did the same to her, however, he couldn’t tell, her expression unreadable as usual.

Yor made her way over to a nearby bench, sitting down and patting the spot beside her, looking over at him. Loid stares at her in disbelief momentarily before accepting his fate, plopping down beside her.

“So,” He starts, watching as she finally places the mysterious bag on the ground and begins rummaging through it, “what’s all this about?”

“Well, remember how you said I could think of a way to make it up to you for your help?” She replies, looking at him over her shoulder.

He nods.

“That was weeks ago though, I figured you’d already forgotten and moved on.” He pointed out.

“What?” She gasps, “I wouldn’t do such a thing! I said I’d make it up to you and I meant it!”

“Fair enough.” He concedes, pleasantly surprised, “So, what did you finally come up with?”

Yor smiles widely, as if she’d been waiting for him to pose the question. Sitting back up, she places one container on her lap before handing him a similar container.

“I made you lunch!” She beams.

Loid takes the container from her and places it on his lap. He should’ve seen this coming, considering she quite literally _asked_ him to eat lunch with her, but he’d been busy trying to understand the enigma that was Yor Briar at that point. At least he hadn’t touched his lunch beforehand.

“Thank you,” He offers a small smile in return, “let’s dig in, shall we?”

At least, that’s what you’d normally do when one offers you lunch, right? Except this wasn’t a normal lunch, not in the _slightest_. Upon opening the container, Loid was greeted with a sight so ghastly he briefly wondered if it would have to be censored if shown on television. What it was supposed to be, he had no idea. He was too afraid to even guess for fear of offending this eldritch horror of a meal. Could it come back to life? Possibly. Loid wouldn’t put it past it for a second.

“Yes, let’s!”

He was going to regret saying those words, wasn’t he?

If Loid thought the meal looked bad, it tasted much, _much_ worse. It was borderline _inedible_. He couldn’t place the flavor, and even if he could, at this point he wouldn’t want to know anyway. If it wasn’t soft and mushy, it was rigid and crunchy. It felt like his very soul was trying to reject every bite he forcefully swallowed. At the very least, if things took a turn for the worst, his father worked at a hospital.

“How is it?” She asked expectantly. Her gaze practically bores into his body, a hopefully expression painted on her face as she sits on the edge of her seat, awaiting his verdict.

He couldn’t possibly insult her cooking, not when she looked at him like _that_. No one could.

Heaven help the fool that falls in love with Yor Briar.

Loid swallowed roughly, thankful his internal struggle with the meal before him had not outwardly manifested itself. “It’s...interesting,” He manages to say, “I don’t think I’ve had anything like it. Bit of an acquired taste, but very flavorful.”

Not an outright lie, at least.

“Really? Oh, I’m so glad!” Yor clapped her hands together in delight.

“Yeah, it’s not half bad.” He replied, sinking further into the lie, “Who taught you how to cook?”

“Oh, no one did.” She admitted sheepishly, staring down at her lap, “My parents aren’t home currently and, well, I wasn’t quite sure if I should ask anyone.” How could she possibly explain to her classmates that she, Yor Briar, was planning on cooking a meal for none other than Loid Forger?

Well, that would at least explain the, to quote himself, “interesting” meal he’d just experienced.

“I just checked out some cookbooks from the library and got to work.” She explained, recalling the librarian’s bewildered expression as she dropped the stack of books on the counter. She’d also confused her brother when she arrived to pick him up with the monumental stack in tow, though his expression quickly changed to obvious annoyance when she explained her motive.

“Oh!” Yor gasped suddenly, startling Loid for the second time that day, “I almost forgot, I also made something else.”

“You did?” He responded.

He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could stomach. Literally.

“I did!” She replied, rummaging around the bag before pulling out a stainless steel thermos and two cups. Accepting one of the cups from her, Loid watched as she unscrewed the top, steam billowing out from it.

“Soup?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

“Stew, actually.” She corrected him, filling his cup first before her own.

Loid subconsciously braced himself for what awaited him, but was instead pleasantly surprised. The stew smelled, but it smelled _good_. Whatever shred of an appetite he had left roared back to life, his stomach growling in anticipation at a meal that would (hopefully) not offend his digestive system. Carefully, he lifted the cup up to his lips and drank. He swallowed, eyes widening in shock.

“Yor.” Loid said simply, turning his attention towards her.

“Y-Yes?”

“I thought you said you didn’t know how to cook?” He asked.

She blinked. “I don’t.” It was the honest truth, “This was my first time cooking. Why do you ask?”

“Because this stew is really good.” He admitted after swallowing another mouthful, “No, it’s _delicious_ actually. I’d expect this from a seasoned cook. Where did you learn how to make this?”

It was rich and comforting, warming him up from the inside. It was vaguely reminiscent of the meals his mother would make for them on cold winter nights. This wasn’t something you could simply pick up overnight from any cookbook; it was a meal made with deliberate care.

Yor’s eyes lit up, her expression a cross between relief and excitement.

“Oh, I’m so glad you like it!” She confessed, “It’s a family recipe, actually. Southern Stew, my mother used to make it for us when we were younger.”

“Really?” Loid responded, thoroughly engrossed in his meal, “Did she give you the recipe then?”

Yor shook her head. She couldn’t remember the last time her mother had made it for them, let alone the last time she had been home for longer than a day or two. “I’d seen her make it enough times I figured I could just recreate it.” She admitted, “It tastes close enough to the original, but it’s not quite there yet.” 

She pursed her lips, resting her chin on her hand, running through the recipe in her mind. She’d had all the ingredients. She’d followed her mother’s steps as best as she could. So why wasn’t it like she remembered it? Perhaps Loid was right; some things could only be learned with experience and time.

Loid finished the stew with a satisfied sigh, placing the cup down beside him before turning his attention back to Yor. He paused briefly, eyebrows furrowing.

“Yor?”  
  
“Hmm?” She hummed in response, still turning the recipe over in her mind.

“What happened to your hand?” He questioned.

She looked up at him suddenly, eyes quickly shifting between the hand supporting her chin and Loid. She moved to withdraw her hand behind her but was too slow. As if anticipating her movements, Loid’s hand shot out, quickly catching her wrist, catching her by surprise as she let out a startled squeak. He studied her hand briefly, taking note of the small cuts littered across her skin. Some are old, the faint scars they left behind the only evidence they had ever existed in the first place. Others, however, are still fresh and bandaged, having only started the recovery process recently.

“Your hand. What happened.” He repeats, staring at her.

“N-Nothing.” She says quickly, though she’s certain she hasn’t convinced him of that.

“Yor.”

“O-Okay, okay!” She admits defeat, dropping her head in shame. “I’m not very experienced in the kitchen, so handling cooking utensils was a little...rough.” She mumbles. She’d lost track of how many times she’d accidentally injured herself while learning to cook. By the time she’d finished, the kitchen looked more like a crime scene than a kitchen. For days afterward the cuts stung incessantly, but thankfully the pain had managed to die down to a dull throb by now.

“Let me see your other hand.” It wasn’t a request, but a command.

She nodded, unable to lift her gaze up to meet his as she gave him her other hand. He took it carefully and studied it silently. Sure enough, it was similarly torn up and haphazardly bandaged. If he didn’t know any better, he’d have thought she’d gotten into a fight with a woodchipper.

“You hurt yourself making the meal for me.” Loid clarifies, gaze shifting back to her. She nods, gaze still fixed firmly on her lap, reaffirming what he already suspected.

The revelation hits him like a freight train. Here he was, thinking she’d moved on with her life after their chance encounter (as she _should’ve_ ), when in reality she’d been slaving away in the kitchen, giving it her all to make a meal for a stranger she knew next to nothing about, all because he’d dared to help her when no one else would. And what did he do in return? _Criticize_ her cooking. Countless days, weeks, spent toiling in the kitchen, which _clearly_ wasn’t her strong suit, all to show him her thanks, and what did he go and do? Insult the culmination of her hard work.

To say he was disgusted with himself would be a gross understatement.

“You didn’t have to do this, you know.” He said quietly, gaze still fixed on her hands (had they always been so small?), thumb absentmindedly brushing against her knuckles. He didn’t deserve this meal, or her kindness.

Yor blinks, finally lifting her head to look at him. She smiles softly, slipping her hands out from his gentle grip to hold his hands instead, clasped between her own.

“You’re right, I didn’t have to,” She starts simply, “but I wanted to. Even if you’d told me not to, I would’ve done it anyway. You didn’t have to help me, but you did anyway, right? So it’s only fair I did the same for you.”

Loid looked up at her in stunned silence. Logically it made sense, but he couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t accept someone going out of their way to help him, not here. When people treated him kindly it was because they wanted something, an underlying motive disguised as kindness. Surely this had to be the same, no? 

Yet no matter how hard he racked his brain, no motive came to mind. The harder he thought about it, the more he confused himself. She had no reason to be kind to him. She had no underlying motive. Her motive _was_ kindness, plain and simple. She did this out of the kindness of her heart and nothing more. That was the only logical conclusion he could come to, but it only served to make him _more_ nervous than he already was. His mind drew a blank. A foreign heat warmed his face. His stomach twisted in knots, and it wasn’t because of the meal.

How was he even supposed to _respond_ to such kindness?

“Plus, I rather enjoyed cooking, even if it was a bit of a disaster!” She laughed, “Guess I’ll just have to try harder next time.”

The pair blinked.

_Next time?_

Did she say that? _Out Loud?_

“N-No, wait, what I meant was-!” Yor withdrew her hands, waving them frantically in front of her as a fierce blush spread across her face and burned her ears and cheeks a bright red. _She_ didn’t even know what she meant. It’d just slipped out.

“Is that a promise?” Loid questions, a smirk tugging at his lips.

“W-What?” She stares at him in confusion.

“You said you’ll have to try harder next time. So, there’s a next time, then?” He grins, the knots dissipating from this stomach, “You’re treating me to lunch again, right?”

“I-I, I mean, i-if you want me to?” She stammers, still trying to process this turn of events.

“Yeah, I think I’d like that.” He hums in agreement, gaze shifting towards the bell tower as it tolls, signaling the end of their lunch period. He moves to collect the containers and cups, placing them safely back into her bag. “Though, if you do, could you give me a bit of a heads up?” He requests, holding out the bag for her. It’s partially to avoid drawing attention to themselves, but also so he can prepare himself mentally and physically for whatever meal awaits him.

She opens her mouth in protest but promptly shuts it instead, an amused huff escaping from her lips. She’s got no one but herself to blame for the situation she’s gotten herself into, but it’s not like she’s complaining anyway.

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Loid.” Yor accepts the bag, offering him a warm smile in return, “I’ll see you then.”

With that she bids him goodbye with a quick wave, turning on her heel and heading down the stairs to begin her trek to class. Loid watches her descend the stairs, a vaguely reminiscent feeling washing over him briefly. He watches as she disappears around the corner before letting go of a sigh he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

What had he gotten himself into? Even _he_ didn’t know. Frankie wasn’t going to let him hear the end of this, but Loid would cross that bridge when he got to it. He pushed that thought aside for the time being. He had a class to get to. More importantly, he needed to begin preparing himself physically for what would await him the next time they met. Yet, despite the gastrointestinal nightmare that awaited him, Loid couldn’t help but look forward to it.

Heaven help the fool that falls in love with Yor Briar.

Heaven help _him_ , and his _stomach_.


End file.
